What we do
We are working towards heart health for every Australian
Our vision
Heart health will be achievable by everyone in Australia by 2050. (View our Health for Every Heart strategy for 2025–2050)
Our mission
To reduce heart disease and improve the heart health and quality of life of all people in Australia through prevention, support, care, advocacy, and research.
Our purpose
To lead a national movement for better heart health – preventing disease, saving lives, and supporting every heart.
Our values
Our values represent how we have evolved, and how we wish to continue working into the future. They guide the way we work together.
Stronger together
We believe in the power of unity, as we are strongest when we work together. We support each other so we all feel appreciated, by showing respect, leveraging diverse backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and resources.
Make a difference
We are proud of our history and our achievements; we use our past successes to guide the future. We work with evidence to be a trusted voice on heart health – when the evidence changes, we change with it.
Change the future
We are courageous and think big, but we don’t ignore the details. We promote creativity and innovation in our thinking and actions to continually increase our reach and impact.
Build connections
We build genuine connections with our community, stakeholders, partners and customers. We strongly believe that what we do every day is for the benefit of others.
Act with integrity
We are honest and take responsibility for our actions. We value the opinions of others and always assume positive intent. We enhance our trusted reputation through the responsible and transparent use of donor funds.
Our key achievements
$850+ million invested in research
Since our inception in 1959, we’ve invested an incredible $850 million (in today’s dollars) into world-leading research programs, including $13.7 million in 2024 alone.
10 million kids get skipping
Since its launch in 1983, more than 10 million kids have participated in Jump Rope for Heart, raising over $115 million. This wonderful initiative helps to keep primary school children active and promote the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy heart.
Heart Health Checks
In 2019, our ‘Serial Killer’ campaign aimed to reignite the public conversation about coronary heart disease. The campaign also looked to advance the Heart Foundation’s long-standing call for a Medicare-funded Heart Health Check. Just seven days post launch the government agreed to Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) funded Heart Health Checks from 1 April 2019.
As of 28 February 2025, 871,902 Heart Health Checks have been completed.
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Guideline and accompanying CVD Risk Calculator
The National Heart Foundation of Australia, in collaboration with the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA), including Diabetes Australia, Kidney Health Australia, and the National Stroke Foundation, has created a new Guideline and calculator. These tools are designed to empower GPs, nurses, and healthcare practitioners in preventing cardiovascular disease in the 8 million Australians without a CVD diagnosis. By the end of 2023, 5 months since its release the calculator has already been used over half a million times.
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Our vision and strategy
The National Heart Foundation of Australia has developed a 25-year vision. Read our generational vision for heart health in Australia.
Annual Reports
Discover our annual reports from 2013 onwards.
Heart health advocacy
Join us in the fight against heart disease through prevention, support, and research. Together, we can improve heart health and help prevent heart disease.